Can Positive Views of Classroom Climate Predict Positive Ratings of Classroom Quality? A Tertiary Study

Thirty years' worth of classroom climate research have established strong ties between climate views, expectation beliefs and achievement, arguing for a positive association between such beliefs and outcomes. However, such studies have mostly been conducted at pre-tertiary levels, with less emphasis given to how climate perceptions are associated with ratings of course quality as a summative product of classroom processes. This paper explored the relations between student perceptions of the tertiary learning environment, self-expectations, workload expectations, and ratings of course quality. Findings revealed direct and indirect influences of the classroom climate on student self-beliefs and ratings of course quality, suggesting that quality of learning experiences may be a function of how the learning environment is perceived by students.